Electric train signaling and controlling system.



A. J ALLARD.

ELECTRIC TRAIN SIGNALING AND CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2,1913.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

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R m m m I Allarney THE NORRIS PETERS CO7, PHOIXLLITHOH WASHINGTON, D C.

A. J. ALLARD. ELECTRIC TRAIN SIGNALING AND CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, T913.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

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. K3 5 77 ,ga' 90 PF JS M0 90 THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOTO-LITHQ.WASHINGTON, Dv C A. J. ALLARD.

ELECTRIC TRAIN SIGNALING AND CONTROLUNG SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2.19m.

1,136,750., Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

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ANDREW' J. ALLARID, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-THIRD TO T.F. GREEN AND ONE-THIRD TO 1). R. CR-EECY, JR, BOTH 0F RICHMOND,VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC TRAIN SIGNALING AND CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

Application filed June 2, 1913.

To all whom it may concernv Be it known that I, ANDREW J. ALLARD, ofRichmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electric Train Signaling andControlling Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to improvements in electric train signaling andcontrolling systems and more particularly to such as are intended todisplay signals in the cabs .of locomotives in the motormans vestibuleof an electric car, and to cause, automatically, the stopping of thetrain if the signal be ignored, one object of the invention being to soconstruct and arrange circuits and devices that when two trains, runningin opposite directions, approach opposite ends of the same blocksimultaneously, each of said trains will be stopped shortly after theyhave entered the block.

A further object is to provide means whereby two trains, running inopposite directions and approaching the same block terminal, will eachbe signaled and stopped.

A further object is to so construct and arrange the circuits and devicesthat a train will be prevented from entering one end of a block until apreceding train has entirely passed from the other end of the sameblock, thus avoiding danger of a rear end collision when the precedingtrain is very long.

A further object is to provide against accident in case of displaced orbroken contact rails, such as might occur by the breaking and draggingof some part of the rolling equipment.

A further object is to so construct and arrange the circuits and devicesthat the displaying of false signals will be prevented when two trainsare running in the same direction and the second train enters a blockbefore the first train has fully passed the forward lapping end of thesame block.

A further object is to provide, in a block system operable to protecttrains from both rear-end and head-on collisions, simple and efiicientmeans cooperable with such Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

Serial No. 771,312.

system, for manipulating the circuits and devices. of thesignal-controlling means when a siding between the ends of a blockreceive a train, so that the progress of a train entering either end ofthe block while another train is in the siding will be controlled.

A further object is to provide simple and eflicient means to effect,automatically, the locking and unlocking of the siding switch, whereby atrain may be prevented from leaving the siding when another train on themain track is approaching the siding switch.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations and arrangements ofparts, as hereinafter Set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a diagrammatical viewillustrating the circuits and devices along the railroad; and showingtwo block junctions; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical view showing two blockjunctions, and circuits for controlling the siding switch locking means;Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical view showing the circuits anddevices on therolling equipment; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view partly in section andpartly in elevation showing one of the circuit controlling instrumentslocated at the junctions of blocks of railway, and Fig. 5 is a planview, partly in section of said instrument.

l, 2, represent the rails of a railway track. The raill is continuous,while the rail 2. is divided, at the intersection of the blocks, intoinsulated sections a, 5. Comparatively near, and at respective sides ofthe juncture of each two blocks, contact rails 6 are centrally locatedbetween the rails of the track and each is connected by a circuitincluding a resistance 8 and a battery 9, with a shorter contact rail10. Located some distance from each long rail 6, is a short, centrallylocated contact rail 11 which is electrically connected with said longrail by means of a suitable conductor 12. Contact rails 13 and 14 arelocated at respective sides of the center of the track near one end ofeach central contact rail, and when a siding 15 occurs between the endsof a block, short contact rails 16, 17 are located appreciable distancesfrom the ends of the siding and nearer to the track rails than arethecontact rails 13 and 14. The various contact rails ale intended forcooperation with contact shoes on a locomotive for the purpose ofcompleting circuits through certain signaling and controlling applianceson the 10- comotives, and the truck frame of the latter also serves toelectrically connect the track rails, all as hereinafter more fullyexplained.

Near the intersection of the blocks of railway, circuit shiftinginstruments 18 are located. Each of these instruments comprises a drum19 of insulating material, and the journals 20 of said drum are mountedin brackets 21 secured upon a suitable base 22. To one end of the drum,a notched ring 23 is secured, the notches in said ring forming shoulders24. A yoke 25 is secured to the platform and extends over the notchedring 23. This yoke is made with elongated slots 26, in the upperportions of which, the upper ends of curved arms 27 of weighted dogs2829 are pivotally supported, the teeth of said dogs being adapted toengage the re: spective shoulders 24 of the notched ring and lock thedrum in the position to which it may be moved. A disk 30 is secured toone end of the drum 19 and to this disk, at diametrically opposite sidesof its center pins 31 are secured. Vith these pins, the upper portionsof slotted links 32 are connected and these links are pivotallyconnected at their lower ends to a pendulous rod 33 depending through anopening in the base 22 and provided at its lower end with a weight 34.The weight 84 will operate to retain the drum in and return it to itsnormal position. For the purpose of rocking the drum 19, electromagnets3536 are provided. The armatures 37 are carried by pivoted levers 3839,and the free inner ends of these levers are connected, by means of links40, with the pins 31 011 the disk 30. The weighted dogs 28-29 are sopivotally supported that the teeth of said dogs will press toward thenotched ring 23 so that when the drum is turned in one direction or theother, one of these dogs will drop under one of the shoulders 24 of saidring and thus lock the drum in the position to which it has beenshifted. The dogs 2829 will be actuated to release the drum, by means ofelectromagnets 4142.

The drum 19 of the instrument 18 is provided with a plurality of contactplates to cooperate with contact fingers as will now be described.Although the drum is cylindrical in form, reference will be made to thetop, bottom and sides of said drum in order to describe the location ofthe contact plates,reference being had to the drum when the same is inits normal position. On the top face of the drum, contact plates 43,

44, 45, 46 and 47 are located; (the plates 45 and 47 being each made intwo separated sections) and on the bottom face, contact plates 48, 49,50 and 51 are secured the latter being made in two separated partselectrically connected with the parts of the contact plate 47. Contactfingers52-53 and 5455 cooperate with the contact plate 43; fingers 5657and 5859 are arranged to be engaged by contact plate 48; fingers 60, 61and 62-63 are disposed to cooperate with contact plate 44; fingers 64 65and 66-67 are so located as to be engaged by contact plate sections 45fingers 6869 and 70-71 are arranged to be connected by contact plate 50;fingers 72-73 and v747'5 cooperate with contact plate 46; fingers 7677and 787 9 cooperate with contact plate 49, fingers 80 and 82 cooperatewith contact plate sections 47, and, fingers 81-81 and 8383 cooperatewith the sections of contact plate 51.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown a block B, and parts of two otherblocks A and C; and two block terminals'D and E and switches FF atrespective ends of the siding l5, and in Fig. 2' I have shown two blockjunctions G and Dand a portion of the siding. The circuits and devicesat all the block terminals, and for both ends of the siding, are thesame and hence a detail description of the circuits and devices andtheir operation at each block terminal will be superfluous. Thecooperation of the'circuits and devices at one or another block terminalwith those of adjacent block terminals will, however be hereinafter eX-plained.

The contact fingers 52 and 54 are electrically connected by a conductor84 and the latter is connected by a conductor 85 with one terminalof abattery 86, the other ter minal of this battery being connected, bymeans of a conductor 87, with one terminal of a smaller batteryr88, andthe other terminal of the last-mentioned battery is connected by aconductor 89 with the rail 1.

At the terminals of the blocks, two sets of contact rails 6, 101l1314are shown, one set for trains running in one direction and the other setfor trains running in the opposite direction, and for convenience, thesecontact rails may be termed east-bound and west-bound contact rails,-theeast bound trains running from left to right and the westbound trainsrunning from right to left.

The contact finger 8 1 of one circuit-controlling instrument (at E forinstance) is connected by a line conductor 90 with a contact. finger 83of the instrument 18 at the other end of the block (as at the blockterminal D.Fig, 1).. The contact finger 77 (at v E) 1S connected by aline conductor 91, with acontact finger 79 (at D), and contact finger 76(at E) is connected 'by a conductor 92,

with a contact finger 7 8 (at D), the circuit of this conductor alsoincluding the magnets 93 of circuit closers 91 at E and D.

A conductor 95 is connected with the rail section 1 and with theconductor 87 between the batteries 86 and 88, the circuit of thisconductor including a circuit closer 96 and the magnet 97 of a circuitcloser 98. When a west-bound train reaches the rail section 1 (at E), acircuit will be closed, which may be traced from battery 88 by conductor87 to conductor 87, the circuit closer magnet 97 and circuit closer 96and by conductor 95 to rail section 1; then through truck of locomotiveto rail 1 and finally, by conductor 89 to battery 88. Thus the magnet 97will be energized to close a circuit at 98. This last-mentioned circuitmay be traced from battery 86 by conductor 87 to conductor 87 to circuitcloser 98; then by a conductor 99 to one coil magnet 35, then byconductor 100 to contact finger 67, then by contact plate 15 to finger66 (said contact plate electrically connecting the fingers 66 and 67 andalso fingers 61 and 65 when the drum 19 is in normal position), then bya conductor 101 to the other coil of magnet 35, and then by a conductor102 to battery 86. The current in this circuit will energize magnet 35and cause the same to actuate lever 38 to turn the drum 19 from left toright, in which position it will become locked. Included in parallelwith the magnets 35 are the magnets 103 of a circuit closer 101. Thearmature lever 105 of this circuit closer is provided with a weightedend 106, and near its other end, said lever is provided with a contactpoint 107 to engage an adjustable contact screw 108 located over thesame, and an adjustable insulated contact screw 109 is provided to limitmovement of the arma- V ture lever toward the magnets 103. When thecircuit ofthe magnets 35 is closed and the drum 19 (at E) turned asabove described, the circuit closer 101 will open another circuit whichwill be afterward closed for the purpose of releasing the instrument atthe end of the block to the right of E, assuming the train to be runningfrom right to left and just entering the block 13. For convenience intracing the circuit controlled by the circuit closer 101, it may be wellto assume temporarily that the west-bound train is just passing theblock terminal D instead of E, and that the drum of the instrument at Ehad been shifted as above de- 8 scribed. lVhen the train bridges therails 15 at D, circuits such as above described will be established toshift the instrument 18 at D to the right. The instrument 18 at E hadbeen previously shifted to the right when the train passed that blockterminal. The magnets 103 of circuit closer 101 at D will actuate theirarmature to open the circuit in which said circuit closer is in eluded,and, under the conditions above assumed, this circuit may be traced asfollows: from battery 86 at D, by conductor 110 to conductor 92, throughmagnet 93 at left of E to contact finger 76 of instrument 18 at E, toplate 19, to finger 7 7; then by conductor 91 to contact finger 79 ofinstrument 18 at D; then by a conductor 112 to contact finger 75, toplate 16, to contact finger 71; then by conductor 113 to armature lever105 of circuit closer 101 at D, then to contact 108 of said circuitcloser (when the latter is closed); then by conductors 111 to aconductor 115 through a (normally open) circuit closer 115, then by aconductor 115 to a conductor 191 to conductor 102, to battery 86 at D.When the circuit just traced is closed at 101 and 115 at D, the magnet93 at left of E will be energized and the following circuit will beestablished (by closing the circuit closer 91) to actuate unlockingmagnet 12 at E for releasing the drum 19 at E and permitting it toreturn to normal position. This circuit of the unlocking magnet 12 maybe traced as follows: from battery 86 at E, by conductor to conductor116; then through coil of releasing magnet 12; then by conductor 117 tocircuit closer 91 (at E), then by conductor 110 (at left of E) toconductor 87 and by the latter to the battery 86.

It should be borne in mind that when the locomotive of the train bridgesthe rails 15 at D, the instrument 18 at D will be shifted, but it isdesirable that the instrument at E shall not be released and permittedto return to normal until every car of the train has passed the blockterminal D and ceased to bridge the rails 15. This is especiallyimportant in the case of a very long train, so as to avoid possibilityof a rear end collision between two trains running in the samedirection. Thus it will be observed that with the instruments 18 at bothblock terminals D and E shifted from left to right, the magnets 103 at Dwill remain in a closed circuit as long as any part of a train runningfrom right to left is bridging the rails 15 at D, and that therefore thecircuit closers 101 at D and 91 at E will be kept open and the unlockingmagnet 12 at E denergized. The importance of maintaining the instrumentat E set in its shifted position is due to the fact that such shiftingof said instrument establishes certain partial circuits to cotiperatewith cab circuits to give a rearend signal to a following train (ashereinafter explained), and if the instrument at E were returned tonormal (thus destroying the circuits for the rearend signals) as soon asa preceding train reaches the block terminal D, the following trainwould be permitted to enter the block at E before the first train hascompletely passed the block terminal D. This might entail danger in casethe first train were a very long one.

When the last car of the first train has passed the block terminal D andceases to bridge the rails 1-5, the circuit of magnet 103 at D will beopened and the weighted armature 105 will cause the closing of circuitcloser 104:, thus closing the circuit of magnet 93 at E and the closingof the circuit closer 94 and the Circuit of the releasing magnet 42 atE. The instrument at E will now return to normal and a second train mayenter the block B at E. If a sec- 0nd train arrives at E before thefirst train has passed D, it would operate to again shift the instrument18 at E and the circuit of the unlocking magnet would be closed andhence the instrument would tend to immediately return to normal. Toprevent such condition, the circuit closer 115 is provided, and thiscircuit closer is controlled by a magnet 115 connected in circuit with abattery 115 between rails 12 in advance of the insulated rail section 5.It will be observed that portions of a train will bridge rails 1 and 2and 1 and 5 at the same time and that the circuit of magnet 115 will beclosed through the trucks of the cars as long as they bridge the rails12, and also that the magnet 115 will be energized during this time, toretain closed the circuit closer 115. Now, when the last car of thetrain has passed the circuit closer 115, the circuit of magnet 115 willbe opened, and consequently the circuit which includes the circuitclosers 115 and 101 will be open at 115 so that when the instrument 18at E is shifted to the right by the arrival of a following train runningfrom right to left, the circuit of the unlocking magnet 42 will be openand the instrument 18 will remain shifted until it shall be subsequentlyreleased by the operation of the circuits and devices when this trainpasses the block junction D, as above described.

Returning now to the assumption that a west-bound train is at E and justabout to enter the block B. The west-bound train arriving at E havingcaused the shifting of the drum 19, at E, the following conditions willbe established: The caution contact rails 61011 and intermediateconnections, at the right of block intersection E, will be included in abattery circuit which will be completed through signaling andcontrolling devices on the locomotive of a following west-bound trainshould such train arrive .at the block intersection E while theinstrument remains set as above described and before the first trainreaches the block intersection l). The circuit to which reference hasjust been made, is established by the shifting of the drum 19 at E tothe right as follows :from battery 86 at E by conductor, 85 and 84 tocontact finger 54;

then by contact plate 43 to finger 55 then by conductor 119 to conductor120; then by the latter to battery 9, to conductor 7, to

contact rail 10 at the right of block junction E and by resistance 8 tocontact rail 6, then through signaling devices on the train; then byrail 1 to conductor 89 and then through battery 88 and conductor 87 tobattery 86. This will operate certain signaling instrumentalities togive a caution signal or to stopthe train, as will now be explained. Thelocomotive carries a contact show 121 in position to engage the contactrails 61011. The shoe 121 is connected by conductors 122 and 123 withone terminal of a solenoid 124:, the other terminal of the latter beingconnected by a conductor 125 with a conductor 126. The conductor 126 isconnected with one terminal of a battery 127, and the other terminal ofthe latter is connected by a conductor 128 with the truck frame 129. Thecore of the solenoid 124: is connected with an arm 130 of a pivotedblock or caution signal blade 131.

A westbound train having passed block intersection E and anothereast-bound train having reached the contact rail 11 at the right of E,the circuits of the batteries 8688 and 127 will be closed through thesolenoid 124: and the signal blade 131 will be raised to caution toindicate to the engineer that there is another train in his vicinity, inthe block ahead. As the westbound train No. 2 proceeds and its shoe 121engages the long contact rail 6, the signal blade 131 will be againraised (assuming west-bound train No. 1 to be still in the block ahead),and indicate to the engineer that he should slow down. Should hedisregard such caution signal and neglect to bring the speed of histrain to a speed of say less than five miles an hour, the brakes of histrain will be applied when he reaches the contact rail 10 and passesover said rail at a speed exceeding the predetermined speed of, say fivemiles per hour. The means whereby these results are accomplished willnow be described.

A brake-controlling valve is indicated in Fig. 2 at 132 and with thestem 133 of this valve, a weighted lever 13 i is connected.v A lever 135is pivoted to a fixed support and also to the stem 133 of the valve. Thelever 135 is provided with a trip arm 136 to be engaged by a weightedtrip lever 137 which is under the control of an electro-magnet 138. Oneterminal of the magnet 138 is connected, by a conductor 139 with aconductor 1 10 and the latter is connected with the conductor 125. Theother terminal of the magnet 138 is connected by a conductor 141 with acontact point 142. A weighted contact lever 143 is 'pivotally supportedin proximity to the contact point 142 and this contact lever isconnected by a conductor 14 1 with the conductor 128. The contact lever143 is maintained normally out of engagement with the contact point 142as shown in Fig. 2, by means of a weighted latch lever 145 which isunder the control of an electromagnet 146. One terminal of the magnet146 is connected, by a conductor 147 with the conductor 123 and theother terminal of said magnet is connected by a conductor 148 with aspeedometer indicated diagrammatically at 149. The movable arm of thespeedometer cooperates with fixed contact points, with one of-which theconductor 126 is connected. Assuming now, that the train passes over thecontact rail 10, at a speed greater than, say five miles an hour, themovable arm of the speedometer will engage the contact point with whichthe conductor 126 is connected and thus close the circuit in which themagnet 146 is included. When the com tact shoe 121 engages the rail 10,the resistance in the circuit will be changed by the cutting out of theresistance 8 and including battery 9 in the circuit. The solenoid 124and magnet 146 will now be included in parallel and the current in thecircuit being now increased by excluding the resistance 8 and includingthe battery 9, sufficient current will be supplied to energize both thesolenoid 124 (retaining the signal blade 131 in raised position) and themagnet 146. The result will be that the magnet 146 will actuate thelatch lever 145 to release the contact lever 143 and permit the latterto drop into engagement with the contact point 142.

This will close a local cab circuit including the magnet 138 and battery127 and cause the latch lever 137 to release the lever 135 and permitthe operation of the valve 132 to cause the application of the trainbrakes.

Returning again to the shifting of the drum 19 of instrument 18 at Ewhen the first west-bound train reached the rail sec tion 4, it will beobserved that a partial circuit will be closed including battery 86 andcontact rail 13 to the right at E, for the purpose of causing theoperation of a signal blade in the cab of a following west-bound trainto denote that the first west-bound train is in the block ahead, andthus a rear end collision with the first train by the second train willbe avoided. Thus, when the drum 19 at E is shifted to the right, thefollowing partial circuit will be established to put cur- I rent on thecontact rail 13 at the right at E: from battery 86, by conductors 85 and84 to a conductor 150; then to finger 62; then by contact plate 44 tofinger 63; then by conductor 151 to contact rail 13. The other terminalof battery 86 is connected through conductors 8789 and battery 88 withthe track rail 1. \Vhen the second or No. 2 west-bound train reaches thecontact rail 13 at the right at E, a contact shoe 152 on the locomotivewill engage said rail 13 and complete (in the cab) the partial circuitabove described through a conductor 153, magnets 154, conductors 155,156, 140, 125 and 126 to battery 127 and from said battery by conductor128 to the truck frame 129 and from the latter to the track rail 1. Whenthe magnet 154 is thus energized, it will actuate its armature 157 andmove a tooth 158 on the same, out of the path of a trip arm projectingfrom a signal blade 159 which, on the drawing is marked Reari vVhen thesignal blade 159 is thus permitted to rise, the engineer on west-boundtrain N o. 2 will be notified that he is in rear of westbound train No.1 which is still in the block ahead. Train No. 2 will remain at E untilthe cab signal 131 returns to normal or safety positions, and this willoccur when the switch drum 19 at E is tripped and permitted to return tonormal (thus opening the switch controlling circuits), when the firsttrain has passed the block junction indicated at D, as previouslyexplained. The circuit of conductor 156 may contain an audible signalindicated at 156.

. When the drum 19 of instrument switch 18 at E was shifted to the rightby the arrival of a west-bound train, certain partial circuits wereestablished to operate a headon signal in the cab of an east-bound trainarriving at D and thus protect the westbound train from a head-oncollision with the east-bound train in the block A. The partial circuitslast above mentioned may be traced as follows: from battery 86 at E toline 85, to line 84, to contact finger 54, contact plate 43, finger 55,conductor 119, conductor 120, contact finger 81 contact plate 51, finger81, line conductor 90, finger 83 of instrument switch at I), contactplates 51 and 47, and finger 82 and then by conductor 160 to contactrail 14 at the left at D. The remainder of this partial circuit may betraced from rail 1, conductors 8987 and battery 88 to the battery 86.Should an east-bound train now arrive at the contact rail 14 at the leftat D, the partial circuit would be completed through circuits anddevices on the locomotive as follows: A shoe 161 on the locomotive isarranged to engage the said contact rail 14. From this shoe the circuitcan be traced by way of a conductor 162 to a magnet 163, from saidmagnet, by conductor 155 to conductor 156, then by conductor 140 toconductor 125, to conductor 126, to battery 127, and then by conductor128 to truck frame 129 and the track rail 1. The completing of thiscircuit will energize magnet 163 and cause the same to actuate itsarmature 164 and remove a tooth 165 thereon, out of the path of a triparm 166 on a signal blade 167 marked Head,thus releasing said signalblade and permitting it to-rise and indicate that a train is in theblock ahead running in the opposite direction,viz. westward in thepresent instance. The first west-bound train to which reference has beenhereinbefore made, will now be protected against a head-on collision aswell as a rear end collision.

Movement to the right of the drum 19 of switch instrument 18 at E, asbefore de scribed, also operates to put current on the caution contactrails 6-1011 at the left at D so that the cab signaling and controllingmeans (controlled by the current supplied to these rails,) in thelocomotive of the east-bound train arriving at D will be renderedoperative. The circuit whereby these results are accomplished is inparallel with the circuit above described for putting current on thehead-on signal rail 14: at the left at D, the branch to include thecontact rails 61011 starting at 83 at D. In order that this circuit maybe more readily understood, the full circuit may be traced as follows:from battery 86 at E, by conductors 85-81 to finger 5 1, to plate 48, tofinger 55, to'conductor 119, to conductor 120, to finger 81 to contactplate 51, to finger 81, then by line conductor 90 to contact finger 83at D, to contact plate 51 to finger 83*, then by conductor 120 at D toresistance 8 and battery 9 and contact rails 6 and 10 (in parallel) atleft at D, to contact shoe 121 from one of said contact rails andthrough cab circuits connected with shoe 121 to track rail 1, thenthusby conductor 89 and'battery 88 to conductor 87 to battery 86 at E. 7

Should one or more of the contact rails become displaced, as mightpossibly'occur in case of breakage of some portion of the rollingequipment, causing the broken part to depend and drag the contact railsfrom the bearings, provision is made to prevent disabling of the system.At each block junction, each pair of the contact rails 6and '11 areconnected by a local closed circuit 168 including said contact rails 6-11, conductor 12, a battery 169 and a magnet 170. The magnet 170 (whichis a high resistancemagnet) controls a normally open circuit'closer 171.One terminal of this circuit closer is formed by the armature lever forsaid magnet and is connected by a conductor 172 with an armature levercontrolled by a magnet 17 3, said last-mentioned armature leverconstituting one terminal of circuit closer 96. The other terminal ofthe circuit closer 171 is connected, by a conductor 17 1 with track rail1.

Should one of the contact rails 6--11 become demolished as abovedescribed, so as to open the normally closed circuit including themagnet 170, the circuit closer 171 would be at once closed, thus closingthe circuit which includes said circuit closer, as follows: from battery88 (at-D), by conductor 89 to track rail 1,'toconductor 17 1,

shifting the drum 19 of instrument 18,in

this instance shifting the instrument at D to the left, before a trainbridges the rails 4c-1 at D, which, under normal conditions would effectthe shifting of the instrument 18 at D to the left. When the instrumentat D is thus shifted to the left, current will be put upon the contactrail 10 at left of D,

and hence when the shoe 121 on an east boundtrain reaches said contactrail 10, the train would be stopped in the manner previously explained.The instrument at D has now been shifted to render operative thesignaling means controlled by thisinstrument, before the train hasarrived at the rail 4 where such shifting would be effected under normalconditions, and the train has been automatically stopped, enabling theengineer to discover and report the damage. The instrument at D willremain shifted to the left and a train will be blocked at D as long asthe circuit is closed at the circuit closer 171 at the left of D. Whenthe damage has been repaired and the train, proceeding to the right,reaches the other end of block B, at E,the shifting of the instrument atthe latter block junction, will cause the instrument at D to be unlockedand permitted to go to normal, in the manner hereinbefore explained.

Contact rails are provided in' each end portion of the siding 15corresponding with the contact rails between the main track railsadjacent to the block terminals. Thus, near each end of the siding,contact rails 6 10 -11 are provided, the rails 6 and 11 being connectedby a conductor 12 and a'conductor 175 connects the contact rail'6 withthe conductor 12. Each contact rail 10 in the siding is connected withthe contact rails 10 by means of conductors 176. Head-on and rear-endcontact rails 14 and 13 are also provided in the siding. Contact rail 13is connected'by a conductor 177 with conductor 151, and contact rail 14:is connected by a conductor 178 with conductor 160. Thus it will be seenthat the contact rails in the siding are connected in parallel with theadjacent contact rails betweenthe main rails near the adjacent blockjunctions. I

The switch F at each end of the siding comprises a switch bar 179connected with the movable rails of thesiding switch and this bar isprovided with contact arms 180181 and 182 (the arms 181 and 182 beingspaced nearer together than the contact arms 180'181) to cooperate withcontact fingers 183-18 1 '1851 86 and 187 and 188. The contact finger188 is connected by a conductor 189, with a conductor 190 and the latteris connected in parallel with contact fingers 5658 of instrument 18.Contact finger 187 of switch F is connected by a conductor 191 withrail 1. Contact finger 186, is connected by conductor 192 with contactrail 17 located between the main track rails some distance from thesiding terminals, and the conductors 192 at respective ends of thesiding are connected by a conductor 193. Contact finger 185 of switch Fis connected by a conductor 19 1 with conductor 102. Contact finger 181is connected by conductor 195 with conductor 172, and contact finger 188is connected with conductor 191.

The contact rails 16-17 are so located between the track rails that theywill be in position to be engaged by the shoe 196 on the locomotive forthe purpose of closing a cab circuit to operate a switch signal in thecab. This cab circuit includes a magnet 197 having one terminalconnected by a conductor 198 with the shoe 196 and having its otherterminal connected, by a conductor 199 with the conductor 156. Themagnet 197 controls a latch 200 which is engaged by the arm 201 of asignal blade 202, having the word Switch indicated thereon. Thus it willbe seen that when shoe 196 engages a contact rail 16 or 17, a cabcircuit will be closed (the source of the current in which will behereinafter eX- plained), from shoe 196, by conductor 198 to magnet 197from the latter by conductor 199 to conductor 156, 14-0, 125, and 126 tobattery 127 and from the latter, by conductor 128 to the truck frame129. The magnet 1.97 will thus be energized and the switch signal bladereleased.

Assume now that a train running from left to right arrives at D and thatit is necessary for this train to take the siding.

When the train reaches the rail section 4: at left of D, the instrument18 at this block junction, will be shifted to the left, for signalingpurposes which have been hereinbefore explained. When the trainreachcsthe siding switch, the trainman will throw the same to permit the trainto run upon the siding. In thus throwing the siding switch, the switch Fwill be operated as follows During the movement of the switch bar 179,

the finger 182 will pass over the contact fingers 187188 and momentarilyconnect the same and establish a circuit as follows from battery 86 toconductor 87, by conductors 8789 and battery 88, to finger 187 (ofswitch F) to contact arm 182, to finger 188, to conductor 189, toconductor 190. to contact finger 58 (of instrument 18 at D), to contactC8, to finger 59, to conductor 117, through unlocking magnet 41 (at D)to conductor 1.16, to conductor 85, to battery 86. This will operate tounlock instrument 18 at D and permit the same to return to normal. Asthe switch bar continues its throw, the circuit just described will beopened at 187188 and contact arm 181 will connect fingers 185186 andcontact-arm 180 will connect fingers 181183. When arm 181 connectsfingers 185186, a partial circuit will be formed which will put currenton switch contact rails 16 and 17, so that a train approaching the blockjunctures at either end of the siding will receive a signal indicatingan open switch,the circuits accomplishing this being traced as follows:from battery 86 to conductor 102, to conductor 19%, to contact finger185 (switch F at D), to contact arm 181, to finger 186 to conductor 1.92to contact rails 16 and 17, through cab circuits including switch-signalmagnets 197 to rail, to conductors 89-87 and 88 to battery '86. Underthese conditions, if another train passes over contact rails 16 or 17,the switch signal 202 in the cab will be released to indicate to theengineer that one of the siding switches is open.

When the switch bar 17 9 of switch F at D was shifted as above describedand the contact fingers 181188 were connected by the contact arm 180, acircuit was established which operated to again shift the instrument 18at D to the left. This circuit may be traced as follows: from battery 88at D to conductor 89, to conductor 191, to finger 188, to contact arm180, to finger 184, to conductor 195, through circuit closer 96,

through magnet 97, to conductor 99 to conductor 87 to battery 88. Thiswill energize magnet 97 and close circuit closer 98 to operate theshifting magnet 36 at left of D, in the manner before explained. Thetrain will now be run upon the siding and'after it has reached the same,the trainman will throw the switch so as to close the same to the mainline. In thus throwing the switch, the switch bar 179 will be so movedas to disconnect the fingers 183184: and 185- 186, thus opening thecircuits in which these fingers are included, and the contact fingers187-188 will momentarily close the circuit in which these fingers areincluded, and effect the unlocking and release of the instrument at D.The main line is now clear for another train running from left to rightthrough block 13, while the first train is in the siding.

Should a car on the siding accidentally run from the siding onto ordangerously near the main track, the instrument at the adjacent blockjunction will be shifted in a manner to signal an approaching train.Assume, for example, that a car has too nearly approached the end of thesiding nearest the block junction E, in this event, the followingconditions would be established. The ends 15" of the outer rail of thesiding are insulated from the remaining portion of said rail and theseinsulated siding rail sections have electrical connection With theinsulated sections 5 of the rail 2 of the main track. The inner rail 15of the siding is connected with the rail 1 of the main track byconductors 15. Should a car of a train on the siding bridge the innersiding rail 15 and the insulated section 15 of the outer siding rail atthe right hand end of the siding, the instrument at E would be shiftedto the left in the same manner as when a train bridges the rail 1 andinsulated rail section 5 of the main track, because the insulatedsection 15 is electrically connected with the main track rail section 5and siding rail 15 is electrically connected with the main track rail 1.Thuswhen acar bridges the rails 15 -15? near the right hand end of thesiding, the circuit of battery 86 will be closed through thermagnets 36at the left of E and the instrument 18 at this block junction Will beshifted to the left and establish partial circuits putting current onthe rear-end contact rail 13 at E and on a head-on contact rail 14 atthe block juncture at the right of E,viz. at the right hand end of blockC, and the same shifting of the instrument 18 at E will put current onthe contact rails 61011 at the block juncture E and also at the blockjuncture at theright of E. In this manner, a train running on the mainline in either direction and approaching the right hand end of thesiding, will be protected and stopped, if a car has run from the sidingonto or dangerously near the main track;

Let it be assumed that there is a train in the siding, heading towardthe right hand end of-the latter and that a train, running from left toright has passed the block junction E. As long as the last-mentionedtrain is in block C at the right of E, and

contact shoe 121 of the train on the siding is engaging one of thecontact rails 6 10 or 11 near the right hand end of the siding, thesignal 131 in the cab will remain set, and should shoe 152 of the trainon the siding engage contact rail 13 a rear end signal would bedisplayed. Should a train enter the far end of block C while anothertrain is in the siding the latter train would receive a head-on signalif its shoe engages contact rail 14 When the train running from left toright, as above described, leaves the far end of block O, the instrument18 at E will be unlocked and permitted to return to normal. The train inthe siding may now run onto the main line after the siding switch hasbeen shifted. YVhile the train, running from the siding to the mainline, bridges the rails 15*15 the instrument 18 at E will be shifted tothe left, and the same signaling conditions will be established toprotect this train as it proceeds through block 0, as are Let it beassumed now, that a trainrunning from left to right has passed the blockjunction G and is in the block A and ap- I pro-aching the block junctionD. Under these conditions, the siding switch at the left hand end of thesiding should be locked while the train is passing the same and enteringthe block B, and after the trainhas passed said siding switch, it shouldbe unlocked. To accomplish these results, the circuits and devices nowto be described are provided: A latch bolt 203 is adapted to enter ahole 204 in switch bar 179 of each switch F. This latch bolt isconnected with and operated by an armature lever 205 movable in onedirection by a spring 206 and in the other direction by a magnet 207.One terminal of the coil of this magnet is connected by a conductor 208with conductor 110, and the other terminal of the coil of said magnet isconnected, by means of a conductor 211, with a conductor 212, the latterbeing connected at its respective ends with conductors 160 and 110 andincluding in its circuit, the magnet 173 for a purpose hereinafterdescribed.

When a train passes block junction G at left of D, the instrument 18 atthis junction will be shifted to theleft, and circuits will beestablished which will operate to lock the siding switch, as follows:from battery 86 at G to conductor '85, to conductor 84,

to contact finger 52 of instrument 18 at G, to contact plate 43, tofinger 53, to conductor 119, to conductor 120, to contact finger 83, tocontact plate 51, to finger 83, to conductor 90, to contact finger 81 atinstrument 18 at D, to plates 51 and 47 to finger 80, to conductor 160,to conductor 212, to conductor 211, through magnet 207, to conductor208, to conductor 110 (at left of D), to conductor 92, to conductor 110at right of G, to conductor 87, to battery 86. This will energize theswitch locking magnet 207 and operate the bolt 203 to lock the switchbar 179. When the train passes the block junction D, the instrument atthis junction will be shifted to the left and circuits will beestablished as previously explained to effect the unlocking of theinstrument 18 at G and its return to normal when the last car of thetrain has passed to rail section 4 at left of D. As soon as theinstrument 18 at G returns to normal, the circuit above tracedthrough'magnet 207 will be opened and said magnet will be thusdeenergized to permit withdrawal of the latch bolt 203 and theconsequent unlocking of the switch bar 179.

Provision is made to stop two trains running in opposite directions,which might attempt to enter respective ends of a block simultaneously.For example, should trains running in opposite directions, reach blockjunctions D and E simultaneously, the instrument 18 at D will be shiftedto the left and the instrument 18 at .13 .will be.

tact rails 10 at eachblock junction, so that when the contact shoes 121of both trains reach said contact rails 214, cab circuits will becompleted which will operate the brakes to stop the trains. The circuitswhich accomplish these results may be traced as follows: from battery 86at D to conductor 85, to'conductor 84, to conductor 150, to a conductor215, through magnet 216, to conductor 217, to contact finger 70 ofinstrument 18 at D, to contact plate 50, to finger 71, to conductor 218,to conductor 90, to conductor' 219, to contact finger 69 of instrument18 at E, to contact plate-50, to finger 68, to conductor 217 at left ofE, through magnet v216,'to conductor 110, to conductor 92,:to

conductor 110 at right of D, to conductor 87, to battery 86. This willenergize magnets 216 at right of D and at left of E, and operate circuitclosure 220 to close two partial local circuits to the contact rails214. Each of these partial circuits maybe traced at each block junction,as follows: from battery 86 to conductor 85, to conductor 84, toconductor 150, to conductor215 to conductor 221, through circuit closer220, to conductor 222, through battery 223, to conductor 224, to contactrail 214, to shoe 121, then through cab circuits including the magnets.which control the block signal 131 and the brake controlling devices,then to rail 1, to conductor to and E will be stopped. Under theseconditions, one of the trains must take the siding. Let it be assumedthat the train at E will take the siding. The trainman will first shiftthe siding switch at right hand end of the siding and the train will berun onto the siding, after which he will shift the switch in the reversedirection, unlocking the instrument 18 at E when the contact arm 182 onswitch bar 179 presses contact fingers 1874-188, as previouslyexplained. The train at .D may now proceed through block Band past blockjunction E, operating the signaling devices in themanner hereinbeforeexplained, while the other train is in the siding. l V 7 If a trainreaches a block junction after another train running in the oppositedirection enters the other end of the block, provision is made wherebyboth trains will be 89, through battery 88, to conductor 87 f battery86. Thus, the two trains at D caused to be shifted to the left.

signaled and stopped at the same block j unction. Let it be assumed thatthe two trains approach each other at the block junction D. When theeast bound train passed the block juncture G at left of D, theinstrument 18 at G was shifted in a manner to put current on the head-onsignal rail 14 at right of D, and

. when the westbound train passed E, the instrument 18 at E was shiftedin a manner to put current on the head-on contact rail 14 at left of D,all as hereinbefore explained.

.When the two head-on partial circuits were thus established, themagnets 173 at both sides of D (included in parallel circuits 212between conductors 110 and 160) will be energized and thus open circuitclosers 96. As the circuit closers 98 control the operation of theshifting magnets 35 of the instruments 18, and as the circuits of themagnets 97 which control these circuit closers, are now open, theinstrument 18 at D cannot now be shifted in either direction. Thus itwill be seen that under the conditions above outlined, the function ofthe magnets 173 is to open the circuit closers 96 and thereby open thecircuits of the magnets 97 of the circuit closers 98 which control theoperation of the shifting magnets.

It will be recalled, as previously explained, that when the east-boundtrain passed block junction Gr, the switch bar 179 at D was locked. Itis therefore necessary that this switch shall be unlocked before thesiding switchcan be thrown to permit either train to take the siding.This unlocking of the switch bar is accomplished by first manuallyclosing circuit closer 98 at right of D, to cause instrument 18 at D tobe shifted to the right and effect the unlocking of the in strument 18at E, so that the latter may return to normal and permit the properoperbeing closed, the train bridging rail 14 at left of D will cauesinstrument 18 at D to be By now manually opening the circuit at circuitcloser 98 at left of D, the instrument 18 at G will be unlocked, byreason of the same circuit conditions which eXist when a train passes ablock juncture and effects the unlocking of an instrument 18 at the farend of a block to the rear of the train. The instrument 18 at G beingnow at normal, the circuit of the switch locking magnet 207 at the leftend ofthe siding will be deenergized and the switch bar 179 will beunlocked. The siding switch may-now be shiftedto permit one of r thetrains to take the siding and the other train to proceed,after which,the circuits and devices will be operated as before'ena controlling saidelectro-magnetically conjunction,

plained. In order to manually operate the circuit closers as abovedescribed, cams, such as 225,

may be employedand adapted to be oper- 3 ated by means of a suitablekey.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let-v ters-Patent, is

1. In an electrical block system, the combination with track rails,contact rails, circuit" shifting means at the junction of two blocks,and signaling means onthe rolling equipment, of electro-magnetic devicesfor operating the circuit shifting means, electric circuits includingsaid electro-magnetic devices, electro-magnetically controlled (in ccuit closers in said circuits, circuits including theltrack ralls androlllng equipment for trolled circuit closers, circuit closers insaidlast-mentioned circuits, magnets for opening said last-mentioned circuitclosers, partial circuits including said shifting means and contactrails, certain of saidpartial cir cuits including in parallel themagnets of operating said circuit, shifting'means, electrlc circults forsand electro-magnetlc' devices, means for controlling said electricc1rcuits, partial circuits including the circuit shifting means and thecontact rails'partial circuits including the signaling means on therolling equipment for cooperation with contact rails, electromagnetically operated unlocking means for the circuit shifting means,electro-magnet circuit closers for controlling the circuits of theunlocking means, a circuit including the magnet of one of saidelectromagnetic circuit closers at one block juncture and including thecircuit shifting means at two block junctions, a normallyclosed circuitcloser and a normally open circuit closer in said last mentioned circuitat one block Velectro magnetically operated means for opening saidnormally closed circuit closer and electro-magneticallyoperated meanscontrolled by the rolling equipment for closing saidi normally opencircuit closer;

8. In an electrical block system, the combination with track rails,contact rails, circuit shifting means at the junction of two blocks, andsignaling means on the rolling. equipment, of electro-magnetic devlcesfor operating the circuit shifting means, elecdevices,electro-magnetically controlled circuit closers in said circuits,circuits including the'track rails and" rolling equipment forcontrolling said magnetically controlled circuit closers partialcircuits including. said circuit shifting means and contacttric circuitsincluding said electro-magnetic:

rails, partial circuits including the signalis mg means on therolling-equipment to'cooperate with the'contact rails,permanently closedcircuits, each including a plurality of contactrails at each blockjunction and an electro-magnet, a circuit closer normally held open byeach of said magnets,

tial' circuits including said last-mentioned circuit closers and trackrails; r

4:. In an electrical block system, the comand parbination with trackrails, circuit shifting means at'two block junctions, and traincontrolling means on the-rolling equipment, of electro-magnetic devicesfor operating the circuit shifting means,'electric circuits includingsaid electro-magnetic devices, electro-magnetically controlled circuitclosers in said circuits, *electriccircuits including the track railsand rolling equipment for controlling said electro magnetlcallycontrolled circuit closers, partial circuits in cluding the traincontrolling means on the rolling equipment, a contactrail between thetrack rails at each block junction to cooperate with-the partialcircuits on theroll- ;1ng equipment, other magnetically con trolledcircuit closers at, both block junctions, circuits including the magnetsof said last-mentioned circuit closers andithecirand a partial circuitfor-each contact rail ncludmg' the 7 corresponding 'one 7 of saidlast-mentloned circuit closers whereby,

when the two circuit shifting .means are shifted in opposite directionsand two trains running in opposite directions arrive at the respectiveblock junctions'at the same time, both trainswill be stoppe r 5. In anelectrical block system, the combination with track rails, contactrails, circuit shifting means at the junction of two blocks, andsignaling means on the rolling equipment, of electro-magnetic devicesfor operating the circuit shifting means, electric circuits includingsaid electro-magnetic devices, electro-magnetically controlled circuitshifting means at bothblock junctions, V

cuit closersin said circuits, circuits'includ- Y ing the track rails androllingequipment; "for controlling said electro-magnetically controlledcircuit closers,

12 0 normally closed electro-magnetically controlled circuit clos- V V'e rs in said last mentioned c ircuits,'partlal clrcults1I'lQlIlCl1I1g,SLld shiftmg means and contact rails, circuits inparallelto certain of said, partial circuits and including the magnetsof said last-mentioned electro-' magnetically controlled circuitclosers, and

partial circuits including the signaling means on the rolling equipmentto cooperate with the contact rails.

6. In an electrical block system, thecombination with blocks of railway,a siding, switches for said siding, rolling equipment, partial signalingcircuits on the rolling equipment, and contact rails to cooperate withsaid partial signaling circuits, of circuit shifting means at each blockjunction, means controlled by the rolling equipment for shifting saidcircuit shifting means, partial circuits including the circuit shiftingmeans and the contact rails, electromagnetically-operated locks for thesiding switches, and circuits including each of saidelectro-magnetically-operated locks and the circuit shifting means atblock junctions in advance of the siding switches.

7. In an electrical block system, the combination with track rails,contact rails, circuit shifting means at the block junctions, andsignaling means on the rolling equipment, of electro-magnetic devicesfor operating the circuit shifting means, electric circuits includingsaid electro-magnetic devices, electro-magnetically controlled circuitclosers in said circuits, circuits including the track rails and rollingequipment for controlling said electro-magnetically controlled circuitclosers, partial circuits including said circuit shifting means andcontact rails, partial circuits including the signaling means on therolling equipment to cooperate with the contact rails, a siding betweentwo block junctions, contact rails between the rails of the siding nearrespective ends thereof, and cross connections between said contactrails and the corresponding contact rails between the main track railsadjacent to respective block junctions.

8. In an electrical block system, the combination with track rails,contact rails, circuit shifting means at the block junctions, andsignaling means on the rolling equipment, of electro-magnetic devicesfor operating the circuit shifting means, electric circuits includingsaid electro-magnetic devices, electro-magnetically controlled circuitclosers in said circuits, circuits including insulated sections of thetrack rails and rolling equipment for controlling said electromagnetically controlled circuit closers, partial circuits including saidcircuit shifting means and contact rails, partial circuts including thesignaling means on the rolling equipment to cooperate with the contactrails, a siding between two block junctions, contact rails between therails of the siding near respective ends thereof, partial circuitsincluding said last-mentioned contact rails and the circuit shiftingmeans at adjacent block junctions, one of the siding rails havinginsulated sections at each end of the siding and electrically connectedwith the adj acent insulated sections in one of the main rails, andelectrical connections between the other siding rail and the other mainrail.

9. In an electrical block system, the combination with track rails, aplurality of contact rails, circuit shifting means at each of two blockjunctions, and a plurality of signaling means on the rolling equipmentof partial circuits including said signaling means and adapted tocooperate with said contact rails, electro-magnet devices for operatingthe circuit shifting means, electric circuits including saidelectro-magnetic devices, electro-magnetically controlled circuitclosers in said circuits, circuits including the track rails and rollingequipment for controlling said electro-magnetically controlled circuitclosers, partial circuits including said circuit shifting means andcertain of said contact rails, a siding between two block terminals,electrical switches controlled by the switch rails of said siding,partial circuits including certain of said switches and one contact railnear each block junction, electro-magnetic unlocking means for saidcircuit shifting means, circuits including said unlocking means andcertain other of said electrical siding switches, and circuits includingcertain other of said siding switches and the electro-magneticallycontrolled circuit closers which control the electro-magnetic deviceswhich control the circuit shifting means, contact rails between therails of the siding, and cross connections between said contact railsand corresponding contact rails between the main rails near adjacentblock junctions.

10. In an electrical block system, the combination with track rails andcircuit shifting means at two block junctions, and signaling means onthe rolling equipment, of electromagnetic devices for operating thecircuit shifting means, electric circuits including saidelectro-magnetic devices, electro-magnetically controlled circuitclosers in said circuits, circuits including the track rails and rollingequipment for controlling said electro-magnetically controlled circuitclosers, partial circuits including said circuit shifting means andcontact rails, partial circuits including the signaling means on therolling equipment to cooperate with the contact rails, locks for saidcircuit shifting means, magnets for releasing said locks, circuitsincluding said magnets and the circuit shifting means,electro-magnetically operated circuit closers in said last mentionedcircuits, and manually operable devices for manually manipulating thecircuit closers.

11. In an electrical block system, the combination with track rails,rolling equipment, signaling devices on the rolling equipment, partialcircuits including said signaling means, a plurality of contact rails tocooperate with said partial circuits and means controlled by the rollingequipment bridging the track rails for putting current onto the contactrails, of a permanently closed electric circuit including the contactrails, a magnet in said permanently closed circuit, a circuit closernormally held open by said magnet, and conductors connecting therespective terminals'of said circuit closer with 10 the track rails. 1

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses. V

' ANDREW J. ALLARD. Witnesses: V

R. S. FERGUSON, E. I. NOTTINGHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fiye cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, 7

' Washington, I). 0.

